Darien lost one of its heroes last week ...

Date: 1/17/2025
Darien lost one of its heroes last week. Patrick John Gillespie or “Pat,” was an individual who lived his life, as Barry Posner and James Kouzes would say, “as if it mattered.” Pat Gillespie played a number of roles in the early history of Darien, and he continued to have an impact on our city in his later years as a role model for many of us who sought leadership roles within the city.

I came to know Pat back in the late 1980’s, when I first moved to Darien and involved myself in city activities. Pat was serving as an alderman on our city council during a time when there was a significant amount of tension between the mayor and members of the city council. What I remember most about Pat Gillespie was his level headedness, and his ability to look past the tension that existed and work to achieve that which would best serve the city. While I might not have always agreed with him, I appreciated and respected his ability to bring people together for the good of the city.

Pat Gillespie not only served eight years on our city council, he was a fifty year member of the Darien Lions Club, and an active member of the Chicago Lawn Sertoma for fifty six years. A quote from his obituary captures Pat’s view on service to his community, when it states, “his civic engagement was a testament to his belief in giving back to the community that had given him so much.” Pat took great pride in his commitment to the City of Darien and Darien acknowledged his efforts by naming him a Citizen of the Year in 1999. Pat played a role in the development of several of our Darien institutions, notably, our Police Station, the Indian Prairie Library (he served on the Board), and several landmarks that will serve as lasting tributes to his commitment to our city.

Pat’s contributions to our city go beyond that which resulted in programs or buildings, Pat along with his wife Joan built a life of joy and happiness for their family here in Darien. They raised three children, Patrick, Brian, and Shari Gillespie; the family has grown to include five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Pat was a loving patriarch whose family leadership serves as an example of his true love of family.

I mentioned at the beginning, that Darien lost a hero, and some may question my use of that word to describe Pat Gillespie. I chose that term because I feel that Patrick Gillespie could best be described as a role model to others, as a community leader. As Mahatma Gandhi states, “A true hero is not defined by their strength, but by their ability to inspire and lead others.” During his 91 years, Pat Gillespie was an individual who not only worked to better his community, he had the ability to get others to join him on that journey. Thank you Pat for your love of our city.